Southern short-tailed shrew

Southern short-tailed shrews live under the leaf litter and in the top layer of soil, running through their own tunnels and those of moles and voles. They hunt constantly, because their small bodies burn energy fast.

Like their northern relative, they have toxic saliva that helps them subdue prey, and they will cache food. They are active all year.

These shrews are one of the most common predators of soil insects and snails in southern woods and gardens, and in turn a food source for owls, hawks, foxes and snakes.

They are also a good example of how much life happens in the leaf layer that tidy gardens remove.

Breeding — much of the year in the South, with spring and autumn peaks
Gestation — about three weeks
Litter — usually two to six young, born in a nest of leaves and grass
Weaning — at about three weeks old
Lifespan — usually no more than two years

• Cats kill many shrews, often without eating them.
• Leaf litter under shrubs and in beds is where shrews hunt; leaving some is good for them.
• A shrew in a building can be guided out with a container and a sheet of card; wear gloves, as its bite can hurt.

• Shrews are rodents. They are insect-eaters more closely related to moles.
• Shrews damage plants. They eat insects and snails, not roots.
• A small grey animal in the leaves is a baby mouse. It is often an adult shrew.

• Northern short-tailed shrew
• Least shrew
• Southeastern shrew
• Eastern mole